Dragon Rider Play

Pat sat down, needing a moment to catch her breath. "Well... That wasn't as horrible as I feared, but it wasn't wonderful, either," she told her dragon tiredly.

Tithenor stopped by the spears and looked up. "/Melloraumo, what are you doing?/"

Mark's dragon squeaked and yawned as he woke up, feeling the shift in his rider. He blinked sleepily, getting to his feet and wobbling toward Mark. Nap time over? What's next?

Blade's dragon's coloring blended almost pefectly with the wooden crate and the dirt under her.

Pat's dragon affectionately nuzzled her rider. She was happy and glad her rider was okay. Tired, but okay.

Melloraumo peeped. He was up high, and now was a bit intimidated by the height on the shaky structure.

Mark smiled and picked up his dragon. "Thought of a couple of possible names. Inferno? Igniel?"

Blade looked around. It took him a while, but his keen eyes eventually did find the irregular shape of his dragon. He walked over and picked her up. "Come on. We need to start going or else we will be late."

Pat stroked her dragon gently. "Thank you." Groaning, she pushed herself up and started moving toward the bridge, resigned.

Tithenor held out his hands. "/Jump,/" he urged. "/I will catch you./"

The little dragon snuggled up, head tipping as he listened. Inferno got a no, but Igniel was interesting. Not The one, but closer.

Blade's dragon chirped and squirmed in his arms. Wait! Her stash! She tried to get back down, chirping unhappily.

The dragon walked beside her rider, but bounded ahead a few paces at the bridge. She would lead her rider across again!

Melloraumo hesitated and whimpered. It was scary up here! But he trusted Tithenor... The little dragon jumped.

Mark smiled and started to walk to the bridge. "Hmmm... not Igniel.... Ignatius? Ignarium?" He suggested next.

Blade frowned and put his dragon back down. "What? We have to go now, little girl..."

Pat smiled and started across. She could do this. One step at a time. Just keep your eyes on the dragon.

Tithenor caught Mellon and held him close. "/Well done, little one! You faced your fear. This is good. Are you ready to go to our next class?"

Ignarium made him think of a lizard. The little dragon stuck out his tongue. Uh-uh!

The Blade dragon scampered to her stash and started digging things out, taking them to Blade so he could help carry them. Most of it was junk, pieces of broken armor or weapons, two small rusted knives, a few arrow heads, but mixed in with all the junk was quite a bit of coinage! All sizes from the smallest piece to the most valuable coin. She'd found it all in the grass and dirt, probably fallen out of trainees pockets. She didn't know the difference, just that it was all interesting and shiny!

Pat's dragon stayed confidently in front of her. She looked very proud to help and lead her rider across the bridge.

Mellon croon softly and stayed snuggled close to Tithenor. He wanted to be carried. That was so scary!

Mark sighed. "I'll think about it a bit more."

Blade laughed softly. "We can't tote this around all day. I'll tell you what. If you stash it under there again, we can come back later when we have more time and get it, okay?"

It still took her a long time to get across, but at last Pat's feet hit solid ground. She sighed and picked up her dragon. "Thank you," she murmured, holding her close as she walked toward the Wild island. "There's another coming up."

Tithenor cradled Mellon in his arms against his chest, humming softly as he walked. He noticed with some pleasure that Pat had made it across. Good little dragon! He went across and joined the girl. "One step at a time. That is how all of life's journey's are conquored."
Pat nodded quietly. "Yes, sir."
Tithenor raised an eyebrow. Sir?

The Frillback purred, licking his chin. He was a good thinker! He'd find his name. He wasn't worried.

The Blade dragon looked at her stash, trilling worriedly, but she did as told and pushed everything back under, kicking dirt over the hole. There. All hidden! She looked up at Blade and stretched her wings ever so slightly, almost like a child holding up their arms when asking to be picked up.

Pat's dragon crooned happily and licked her rider's cheek. Oh, another bridge? She would help again!

Mellon stayed snuggled close to his rider. His rider comforted him. He liked that about Tithenor. He would grow up big and fierce, but until then, he would still be a a baby dragon for now.

Mark caught up with Pat and Tithenor and decided to walk with them.

Blade gladly picked up his hatchling. Holding her close and securely, he sprinted across the bridge to catch up with everyone else. "Come on, slowpokes!" he called back childishly as he ran ahead a little.

Pat couldn't help but giggle. She was so eager to help! She stopped at the foot of the bridge and started building up the courage to cross. Wasn't one enough?? She jumped when Blade ran passed, but didn't move.

Tithenor was only too willing to fuss and baby his dragon for now, stopping a short distance from Pat. At least they had plenty of time this time. He glanced at Mark. "Did you enjoy yourself with Blade?"

Blade's dragon squawked unhappily. Really? Again with the running?

Pat's dragon stepped onto the bridge after Blade ran past, and lead her rider across happily.

Mark looked at Tithenor and shrugged some. "He was a decent teacher instructing me in the basics for chain scythes. He actually knows a lot about weapons."

Blade had a good hold on his dragon. Nothing was going to happen to her. He slowed and stopped as he reached a mass of other trainees that looked clueless where Blackwater was to meet them at.

Pat slowly followed her dragon across, this trip more exhausting than training was!

Tithenor waited patiently for Pat to get farther across before getting started across himself. "Indeed. I do wonder, though, why it is the scythe blade was chosen for you."

Blade's dragon chittered unhappily. She still didn't like the running!

(May Tithenor spot Blackwater, please? )

"I don't know. Blade said it was more of a mid-range weapon, and more for pinning an enemy and damaging them rather than killing them. Although you could kill them if you wanted to."

Blade stroked his dragon. "I'm sorry. I just wanted to be sure I wasn't late. These professors here sound like they punish harshly for that, and I really don't want to irk them on the first day."

(Sure, once he's on the island )

"A good weapon," Tithenor aaid as he started across.  Pat was almost to the other side now.  "Does it suit you?"

The Blade dragon huffed but decided to forgive him.  She relaxed a little and crawled around to her spot on his back, tucking her now under his ear.

(Where is he?)

Mark shrugged. "I don't really know. I don't have much experience with the weapon yet. As of now, it's a little tricky to use, although not impossible."

Blade smiled and pet her head some as he waited.

(Blackwater is in a tree, just watching to see what his students do. As a dryad, he blends into the tree pretty well, which is why he hasn't been spotted yet.)

"Keet practicing. Soon you be adept at fighting, and Pat will be at crossing bridges," he said as they caught up to the boy.

Pat turned to give Tithenor a hurt look, but he didn't seem to be making fun of her. "We'll keep at it," she mumbled, scooping up her dragon.

The Blade dragon reached up and licked the back of his ear.

Mark nodded. When they reached the clearing everyone else was at, he started to look around for the missing professor too.

Pat's dragon licked her face affectionately. Hey, they crossed that bridge faster that time, right?

Blade Laughed and turned his head to look at his dragon. "Hey! That tickles!"

"What are you looking for?" Tithenor asked, setting Mellon down.

"We did get faster, didn't we?" Pat murmured, smiling at her dragon.

Blade's dragon chirped. Well, what else was she supposed to do? It was boring here. No shiny, and no rocks.

A student replied to Tithenor that the class should be starting soon, but they couldn't find Professor Blackwater on this island.

Pat's dragon churred happily in her arms.

Blade shrugged. "Sorry. We will find you something to do once the class starts, okay?"

Tithenor raised a brow then turned to Blade and Mark. "Please do not take this as an offense, but are humans truly so limited in their sight?" He kept his voice down so the others would not hear.

Pat sat down, seeing no need to stand this whole time if there was no teacher.

Mark and Blade gave Tithenor a confused look. "Why do you say that?" Blade murmured back.

Tithenor drew their gaze upward. "Our teacher, the illustrious Master Blackwater, sits there."

Blackwater gracefully jumped out of the tree. All of the students heads turned to the teacher as he murmured loud enough everyone could hear. "If I were an enemy, all but the elf would be dead by now." He spoke a little louder so everyone could hear. "Welcome to your Wilderness class. I am Professor Forrest Blackwater, your teacher and caretaker of the two wild islands we have here. For your first class, we will be playing a game. Alterrion told me he assigned you groups, and your groups will each be different units in this game. Half of your team will hide as best they can, while the other half finds you. Ultimately, your goals are as follows for each role: if you hide, avoid detection for as long as possible, and if you seek, find the hiders as quickly as possible. My dragon and I will be watching your progress throughout the game. Your boundaries are anywhere on this island and this island alone. If you try and leave the boundaries without my consent, you will be punished most severely." Once everyone was in groups, Blackwater assigned the first set of hiders. He chose Pat and Blade among the first hiders, and reminded them that since they had their dragons, it was up to them to use that as either an advantage or a disadvantage.

Pat tried to follow, but she was a little confused. She decided to stick to what she understood. Stay on the island, don't get found. She looked down at her dragon. "Well, little shadow, do you know of any good hiding spots?"

Tithenor placed his dragon on his shoulder. "/We are going play hunting. Be still and quiet, okay?/"

Pat's dragon scampered off into the brush to find a spot for her rider. She kind of liked the sound of being called Shadow, but that didn't quite seem right yet...

Mellon churred very quietly. He would do as his rider asked.

Mark stroked his Frillback. "We need to find Pat and Blade. Do you think you could help? You may be able to sniff them out and find them easier than me."

Pat stumbled off after her dragon, wincing at the loud crashing. Sheesh, she might as well be a giant bear! She followed the dragon as best she could, but everywhere the dragon found was too small for her. This was a lot harder than she'd thought...

"Good boy," Tithenor smiled, rubbing his neck. He glanced at the sun shadow, timing them. He'd give them a little longer.

The Frillback chirped excitedly. He could help! He would love to help!

Blade's dragon scrambled down from her rider's back and started snooping around. Hiding? They were supposed to hide? She looked up at Blade. She was good at hiding, wasn't she?